02-26-2019, 07:14 PM
From DC to downtown Boston is roughly 440 miles. With a high speed rail on dedicated tracks, the trip should take roughly 2.5 hours with stops at major rail stations along the way. Bump it to 3 if you want to do more stops. It currently takes almost 7 hrs, partially because they have to change engines in NYC as the northern rail isn't electrified.
If the trip took 3 hrs, more people would take the train along the eastern corridor. With the time it takes to get to or from an airport and the time dealing with security/waiting for a flight, a 3 hr train from DC to Boston would be competitive with a flight. Plus, you can take your own beverages on board, don't pay for luggage (unless excessive) and get a seat that you can actually fit in.
If the trip took 3 hrs, more people would take the train along the eastern corridor. With the time it takes to get to or from an airport and the time dealing with security/waiting for a flight, a 3 hr train from DC to Boston would be competitive with a flight. Plus, you can take your own beverages on board, don't pay for luggage (unless excessive) and get a seat that you can actually fit in.